iortiz

I'm concerned E1, being honest. Our 2012 pitching (rotation + BP) doesn't look encouraging. Hopefully our FO surprise us.

If BV is capable to tame this wild texan horse, everything will be alright, otherwise be prepare for another tragic comedy.

That is known as wisdom!

Offensively or defensively? or as a package?

Tough call, no doubt.

IMO our A-GOD will be the best.

This poll was on ESPN, so I just put that debate in our board. IYO who will be the best 2012 1B in the AL?

If you put this Rays in a payroll cost vs spotive results perspective, IMO they are the most valuable team in BB, the last 4 Ys. IMO they have the best FO in BB these days. They make extraordinary things with ordinary things (limited things, I'd say). They are not a fluke team anymore.

I just put a high win percentage (95/162) in perspective in order to point that even making a high win percentage doesn't make fans happier if you are not capable to make the POs and a good paper once there, that's all.

If they are just a good team, what kind of team are we?, mostly the last 3Y IMO they are a very good team. Arguably in the top 4 in the AL.

I don't know how Beckett is going to perform next year. It is unlikely that he repeats his 2011 numbers, I agree. But a completely different thing is saying that he isn't going anywhere. He is a legit 2-3 moving forward. I guess he will be around 3.5-4.0 ERA next season if healthy. That's the thing, he needs to train and be in shape in order to prevent injuries and stay healthy.

My opinion is that in the general scheme of things' date=' the value of division titles is negligible. For some reason I forgot about [b']home field advantage[/b], but besides that, I could care less about whether the Red Sox have more regular season wins than the Yankees (or Rays). This is not definitive but This is not a negligible thing either. It is an advantage, no doubt. Win +- 95 and no make the POs (unlikely) doesn't make any fan happier. Win 95 games gives you a great chance to make the POs? Yup, but fans in big market teams expect POs and even more; in the end, fans don't care if you make 90 or 95 wins; fans want to see you in POs and making a good paper once there. Win the division gives you more chances to go further once in the POs? Yes Sir, regardless since you finished first in the AL EAST is likely you made a solid season in order to face the POs. Finish first always going to be better. I think that is not necessary to go in circles about this.

I put this before. A big market team, beyond wins, are rated under this scale: No making POs - Failure. POs - Obligation Win DSCS - Good season Win ALCS - Very good season Win WS -Excellent season Put the number of wins you want.

Here we go again E1. Nothing is controllable. Predictable? Yes. This is not about lucky. Look at the tremendous job that TB has done in the recent years with a limited budget. Even a single win or 5 or 20 or 95 wins are outside of your control, NOTHING can guarantee you an outcome, NOTHING. On the other hand each team makes all the necessary to win as many games as possible according to their budget, farm, market, structure, etc., etc. etc. NY, Boston, Philadelphia, among a few others, have the OBLIGATION to make at least the POs. If they don't do that, it doesn't matter how many games you win against NYY or how many months you are in the first place or how many games you win after 162; the balance score card will show you that you failed. is it cruel? is it silly? is it drastic? no it is not, actually. When you have a record of 3 Y in a row which you haven't won a single PO game, regardless the terrible execution at FA, and even with those 95 W/year or whatever, an imminent fumigation is expected to be executed in your house as happened in our team. A700, SCM33, I and a few others said that and a lot of people called us crazy and pessimist and that these kind of things don't happen in baseball and much less in a team like Boston. This is pretty simple, actually, when you spend those tons of money and you don't make at least the POs as a minimal objective or the ALCS (not win it but at least appear in that series) in order to call it as an acceptable/good season, you simply label the season as a failure. This is called result-oriented view and is how business execute and run their business in order to plan and move forward. Don't believe me? look at the people that have lost their jobs included Mr. Theo, otherwise they wouldn't walk, would they?

Yes, wins is a good KPI in order to rate successful seasons in low/mid market teams. In large market teams, wins are not enough. Wins is not the correct barometer or KPI in order to call a season as successful in large market teams. ALCS/WS/Rings are. You can't ask/demand less to a large market team. They spend tons of money in order to build WS contender teams. Boston is one of those teams at least the last decade. ALCS/WS/Rings is the accurate KPI in order to even consider a season as susccesful in teams like Boston. Sorry, doesn't matter how you want to split those wins, it doesn't matter if you can't support them with making at least the ALCS. Even making the POs is not enough in orden to call a season as successful. That is understood or given that you have to achieve as minimal objective when a season begins, and still, it is not enough in order to call it as successful. Sorry, There's no other way to see it. Hell, It's unacceptable that a team like TB with a 1/4 of your payroll has owned you, let's say, the last 4 years?.

Both players are beasts. IMO Pujols is a better hitter and A-Rod is a better defensive and athletic player. Both are great players. I would choose one or another depending on the conditions of my team, it is not trivial.